As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q4. Today, we are looking at healthcare distribution & related services stocks, starting with Patterson Companies (NASDAQ:PDCO).
Since April 2020, the S&P 500 has delivered a total return of 87.2%. But one standout stock has nearly doubled the market - over the past five years, Cardinal Health has surged 159% to $127.74 per share. Its momentum hasn’t stopped as it’s also gained 13.4% in the last six months thanks to its solid quarterly results, beating the S&P by 23.9%.
The S&P 500 is often seen as a benchmark for strong businesses, but that doesn’t mean every stock is worth owning.
Some companies face significant challenges, whether it’s stagnating growth, heavy debt, or disruptive new competitors.
Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) and the best and worst performers in the healthcare providers & services industry.
The best-performing stocks typically have robust sales growth, increasing margins, and rising returns on capital,
and those that can maintain this trifecta year in and year out often become the legends of the investing world.
Elliott Investment Management made several portfolio moves in the fourth quarter, closing multiple options positions and shaking up the activist firm's technology exposure.
Healthcare distributor and services company Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) beat Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q4 CY2024, but sales fell by 3.8% year on year to $55.26 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.93 per share was 9.4% above analysts’ consensus estimates.
BofA sees 2025 challenges for healthcare tech and distributors but upgrades Cardinal Health and Henry Schein, highlighting growth and recovery potential.
We are looking for value in the Healthcare Sector because we are still in a strong bull market that has been not only one of the longest on record, but also has seen the S&P 500 get to one of its lofty valuations ever.
